10 Actors Who Tried Like Hell To Win An Oscar (But Failed)

3. Daniel Day-Lewis - Gangs Of New York

Admittedly, it seems a little unjust to include Daniel Day-Lewis here at all; as the only man in Academy Awards history to be named Best Actor three times, he clearly hasn't been left wanting in that department.

Even so, expectations were high around Gangs of New York. The 2002 film marked the British actor's first role after a five year hiatus, and by all accounts director Martin Scorcese had to work hard to lure him out of semi-retirement.

Still, once he'd accepted the role of Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting, he went full Daniel Day-Lewis on it. This meant staying in character throughout production (even off-set), taking professional training in butchery and knife-throwing, and wearing a glass eye which he trained himself to tap with a knife tip without blinking.

Day-Lewis was up against some stiff competition at the 2003 Oscars - Jack Nicholson for About Schmidt, Nicolas Cage for Adaptation, Michael Caine for The Quiet American - but, to widespread surprise, all lost out to the comparatively unknown Adrien Brody for The Pianist.

Still, the following decade saw Day-Lewis win the Best Actor twice for There Will Be Blood and Lincoln, so it's hard to feel too bad for him.